A COMPARISON OF FOUR SERIES OF CISCO NETWORK PROCESSORS

Advanced Computational Intelligence: An International Journal (ACII), Vol.3, No.4, October 2016
DOI:10.5121/acii.2016.3402 11
A COMPARISON OF FOUR SERIES OF CISCO
NETWORK PROCESSORS
Sadaf Abaei Senejani1
, Hossein Karimi2
, Javad Rahnama3
1
Department of Computer Engineering,
Pooyesh University, Qom, Iran
2
Sama Technical and Vocational Training College,
Islamic Azad University, Yasouj Branch, Yasouj, Iran
3
Department of Computer Science and Engineering,
Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
ABSTRACT
Network processors have created new opportunities by performing more complex calculations. Routers
perform the most useful and difficult processing operations. In this paper the routers of VXR 7200, ISR
4451-X, SBC 7600, 7606 have been investigated which their main positive points include scalability,
flexibility, providing integrated services, high security, supporting and updating with the lowest cost, and
supporting standard protocols of network. In addition, in the current study these routers have been
explored from hardware and processor capacity viewpoints separately.
KEYWORDS
Network processors, Network on Chip, parallel computing
1. INTRODUCTION
The expansion of science and different application fields which require complex and time taking
calculations and in consequence the demand for fastest and more powerful computers have made
the need for better structures and new methods more significant. This need can be met through
solutions called “paralleled massive computers” or another solution called “clusters of
computers”. It should be mentioned that both solutions depend highly on intercommunication
networks with high efficiency and appropriate operational capacity. Therefore, as a solution
combining numerous cores on a single chip via using Network on chip technology for the
simplification of communications can be done.
The processors of network are analysed in different parts like Intended data rate and applications,
Architecture, Interface, Programmability, Implementation, Cost, and Design wins. But a practical
comparison has not been done among operational equipment of network which uses these
processors. This comparison can be done between one switch from Intel Company and a similar
counterpart in Cisco Company. In the present study the network processors of Cisco Company
will be investigated. Cisco was established in 1984 by a group of computer scientists in Stanford
University. Cisco system is a leader in network for internet. The solutions of Cisco system are
based on internet protocol (IP) which is the basis of internet, developing the activities of
companies, education and training departments, and governmental networks in the world. In
addition, Cisco provides the most extensive solutions for data transfer, and voice and video in
buildings in all universities around the world. Moreover, the solutions of Cisco provide the
possibility of the most efficient performance, security, flexibility, and reliability for private and
governmental networks. [5]

12
Network processor has three different with the old microprocessors [11]:
1- Instruction set in many network processors is based on RISC instruction set.
2- Network Processor instruction set includes special instructions for manipulating bits,
calculating the CRC, and search operations.
3- In network processor functions some hardware blocks special accelerate packet
processing.
A network processor (that is harvested from its instruction set architecture), is equally important
to know which level of the network is in the network processor (the same protocol stack); the
levels that can be used in network processors are, are as follows [8]:
 Kernel level, which contains components for high-speed production and
transmission of large amounts of data. The nodes are connected upward to
kernel-level implementation of basic services such as routing, switching and
access control.
 The edge of the network, which forms the core input and output. Core services
are complex and are implemented in higher-speed interfaces, services at this
point, including routing, switching, network flow, and access control features
quality service.
 The access network, which covers all areas of internet delivery. The end user via
campus networks, broadband connections and telephone lines becomes available.
At this level, there are different protocols and technology together in a relatively
low speed.
Network processors can be used both in speed and technique against different package
management, which are called level and control level. Level data is performed simple tasks, and
more rapid route packets over the network processor spend little time on network, although
management procedures are complex. [6]
2- INVESTIGATION OF FOUR SERIES OF CISCO ROUTERS
The engineers of Cisco work on making advanced products and critical technologies of network
and internet like advanced router and switching, voice and image on IP, wireless optical
networks, storing networks, security, band width, and content networks. Cisco not only is an
inventor in technology and leadership of products, it is also regarded a creator regarding the way
of doing businesses. Therefore, this company is a pioneer in using internet and network for
supporting customer, selling products, training, recommendations, and financial issues
management.
In the following the four series of cisco routers will be explored in separate sections and all the
characteristics of each one will be investigated.

13
2.1. SBC CISCO7600 SERIES [7] [2]
SBC Cisco7600 series or session border controller (SBC) has been provided based on constant
performance of system and scalability of multimedia and also considering the pioneer market of
the routers of SBC Cisco7600 series. Through combining SBC with layers 2 and 3 in SBC
Cisco7600 series, the need for covering networks and independent tools is met and the following
features will be provided:
 Protocol and interaction media
 Routing session
 Hosing NAT and firewall survey
 Security and AAA
 Connecting and optimizing inside and between specific virtual network
 Transcoding media with external media server
SBCs do the task of controlling and managing real time of traffic among IP network borders,
signalling, data, voice, and video traffic. As part of these functions, SBC is responsible for
performing required mother IP connection functions for real time communications like accessing
control, Firewall traversal, band with police, accounting, interaction signalling, legal travelling,
and the quality of management services. Security solutions of Cisco consist of the quality of
service and secure virtualizing capacities for facilitating the support of network operations
including voice on IP (VoIP), imaging services, etc.
voip works on phone system. Telephone network is concerned analog sound data (speech). Phone
signal frequency range is almost from 0 to maximum 4 kHz. In many cases, for voice
transmission,changing the analog signal into digital data help us to make lower cost network. To
convert analog signals to digital phone, according to the Nyquist theorem, at least eight Khz
frequency is required and also according to the standard of 8-bit samples per period, to transmit
the digital broadband, the 64Kbps analog telephone line is needed. This broadband digital
telephone transmission is ideally foundation. But the allocation of 64Kbps to transfer each audio
channel requires costly, especially when it is desired network the size of Earth. With advances in
technology, especially in the computer field, new solutions to reduce communication costs were
raised that some of these solutions leads to lower bandwidth requirements on telephone transfer.
On the VOIP also different standards for converting sound into digital data have been used that
they need to 64Kbps to 8.3Kbps bandwidth.
Using connector in Cisco 7600 Integrated Switching, not only makes the designing of SBC
scalable for VoIP sessions but also it is appropriate for supporting high band width of video
sessions like telepresence. Moreover, it is suitable for Service provider to service provider and
Service provider to application Service provider. SBC Cisco7600 has unified signalling position
and distributed architecture. We draw a SBE Sisco 7600 plan in figure 1.

14
Figure 1. In this diagram adjacencies 1,2,3 have been associated with the respective DBE
locatiopns. the first (double line) call comes in over adjancency 1 and is routed over adjacency 3. the
second (single line) call comes over adjancency 2 and is routed over adjancency 3. the SBE pickes a DBE
from the appropriate location to process the call media.
Supporting industry standard protocol and connector for VoIP and video like session initiation
protocol (SIP) and H.323 are also put in it. In addition, SBC Cisco7600 make possible
transmission support, convergence services of internet for advanced connector networks
(TISPAN IT) which is in H.248 protocol based on performing the distribution of SBC signalling
and media current.
2.2. VXR CISCO7200 SERIES [10] [1]
VXR Cisco7200 series provides significant adaptability and is suitable for operational programs
which need Gigabit Ethernet, OC3/STM-1 and connecting with exceptional services of IP. The
speed of processing reaches one million packets by using three connectors of Gigabit Ethernet. It
also has huge gradient of adaptor port options and incomparable amount of complicated IP
service capacities. Cisco provides the last generation of integrated services of router like cisco
series of 1800, 2800, and 3800 for applying complex services and operational programs even in
the smallest offices from distance. Final success and positioning such complex operations depend
on installing and running an efficient and scalable system in aggregation points of network. VXR
Cisco7200 is suitable for confronting this challenge and providing clear and ideal programs. The
main positive point of VXR Cisco7200 is its scalability and flexibility.
VXR Cisco7200 is normally used for WAN applications, voice on IP (VoIP), security, and
different operational programs of IP and has been extended because of its noticeable routing.
Scalability and cost effective supporting from the investment and maximum return of the
investment are properties which enforce any organization to use VXR Cisco7200 series in the
business for the enhancement and reinstall of cisco router.
Processor motor of VXR Cisco7200 provides operational power of one Mega packet per second.
VXR Cisco7200 can support at least 6 completely modular adaptors. In addition, as the most
powerful platform processing unit, VXR Cisco7200 has price-performance ratio and provides
configurations with high density of 1 mpps processing in one point and cost effective price to the
customers. Through using VPN router coded security of IP (IPsec) and scalability to 280 Megabit
per second for headend can be provided. Security capacities in VXR Cisco7200 include
supporting a stateful firewall (any firewall that performs stateful packet inspection (SPI) or

15
stateful inspection), prevention from intrusion, access control lists (ACL), and IPsec. Low price
of each input point port in VXR Cisco7200 makes it valuable and let customers to perform
enhancement and reinstall of their equipment in a network with high acceptability level.
Moreover, processor based on system architecture in these series of products helps to assure that
new functions can be used fast and easily through updating simple software. The potentialities of
using VXR Cisco7200 include: (as shown in figure 2)
 Multiprotocol routing of IPv4, IPv6, Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX), DECnet,
Systems Network Architecture (SNA), etc.
 Combining IBM SNA with IP of network
 Security-firewall of stateful. Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), hardware coding for
IPSec, Network Address Translation (NAT) and confirming identities, options and
accounting (AAA)
 Network Based Application Recognition (NBAR)
 Supporting data, voice, video and integration
 Quality of services (QOS)
 Reflecting the route
 Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)- provider of functions, virtual private networks
of (MPLS V PN MPLS, layer 2 and 3), QOS in MPLS, and traffic engineering of MPLS
(MPLS-TE)
 Multicast
 Mutilpoint dynamic VPNs (DMV PNs)
Figure 2. VXR Cisco7200 series Architecture
2.3. CISCO ISR 4451-X SERIES [4][3][9]

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Cisco ISR 4451-X series has an attempt to create a converged infrastructure for a virtual server,
storage and network capacity instead of allocating a series of resources to an special function of
services. In comparison to traditional and old routers and substructure switching, ISR cisco
platform has achieved 40% reduction in operation costs. Cisco ISR 4451-Xseries is a converged
substructure of a platform for creativity which provides global coordination of network,
computation and storing for unprecedented and powerful performance as ALL-IN-ONE with
extraordinary low total costs of ownership (TCO). Cisco ISR 4451-X series consists of the
solution of integrated services routers (ISR), unified computational system of cisco (UCS cisco)
and switch 24 module of cisco port. These components together have 2 gigabit calculation power,
6 cores processors, 16 gigabit RAM memory and 2 Tribute local storing capacity. They can also
support switching more powerful than Ethernet (+PoE) to achieve advanced industry goals in
cisco. Development process of ISR routers from 50 Mbps to 2 Gbps has been shown in figure 3.
Figure 3. ISR routers development
This platform has provided noticeable advance in router global architecture with highest
commercial and security dimensions. This model of platform has included the growth and
progressing needs of customers and makes scalability possible in future. In addition, in the future
integrated framework of rapid virtual services is put in cisco for more creativity. The solution of
converged cisco 4451-X is the biggest advance in routing, security, wireless, and calculations in
all-in-one box which can gives complete services like the following:
 Advanced routing
 Integrated switching with +PoE
 Secure VPN
 View and control application (optional)
 Controlling the route of WAN (optional)
 Optimizing WAN (optional)
 Control wireless networks (WLAN) (optional)
 computing the extension of environment through supporting multi hypervisor
Cisco 4451-X provides ideal virtual integrated environment for performing network services in
router without any extra hardware. When extra calculation power is needed, cisco UCS E-series
adds modular servers to the system. This architecture creates the best method for providing
application programs for giving services to users.
2.4. CISCO 7606 SERIES [12]
Cisco 7606 is a router with high performance in an operating system of 6 memories in the edge of
network. In this cisco multiprotocol switching label has been designed for considering the needs
of companies and service providers. These service providers enable the Ethernet carrier to
establish substructures of advanced networks through supporting extensive gradient of IP video

17
and media player (voice, video, and data) of system programs in both local service markets and
businesses. Through a powerful combination of speed and service in a compact agent, Cisco 7606
is a significant option for various application programs. In the present point of organizational
edge and city network edge (POP), Cisco 7606 series are new standard sets as part of progressing
industry of cisco router. Cisco 7606 with transfer rate of 240 gigabit per second distribution and
total capacitance of 480 gigabit per second provides high performance and reliability for the
processor and feeding resource. Cisco 7606 is flexible and ideal for dealing with application
programs with high efficiency. Cisco 7606 has high option capacity for supporting various
application programs. In table 1 a comparison of mentioned series in this paper has been
summarized.
Table 1: a comparison of cisco series (VXR 7200, SBC7600, ISR 445-X, 7606)
feature VXR7200 SBC7600 ISR 445-X 7606
Supporting
services
Cost effective
supporting
Active Yes Yes
scalability Yes Yes Yes Yes
flexibility Yes Yes Yes Yes
business Yes Yes Yes Yes
security Supporting stateful,
prevention
Supporting IPsec
and security
Recognizing
identity, providing
MACsec
Module-IP
(IPsec),
analysis and
identifying
system of
network
Supporting
protocol
IPV4,IPV6,.. initiation session
protocol and
H.323 , H.248
VPN Using VPN
(+VAM2)
Via layer 3 of
network
Secure VPN
Processing
power
Operational power
of 1 Mpps
Using control
module
6 cores processors,
16 gigabyte
memory
Total power of
480 gigabit per
second
Processing
speed
One million packet
in three ports of
Ethernet gigabit
10 gigabit in each
slot of processing
capacity
Switch module of
24 port, up to 2
gigabit
performance
Transfer rate
up to 24
gigabit per
second
Integrated
services
The last generation Yes Rapid integration
services
Yes
QOS Yes Yes Yes
Routing Multiprotocol
routings
Routing based on
the least cost
advanced The capacity
of routing,
protection of
processor
3. FUTURE WORKS
In the future expansion of the Internet of Things, CPU usage also will be greater. Fast
connections with the lowest latency and the highest rate of packet sending is the perfect condition
for each network. Given that in 2020, Moore's Law will come to the end, so it will be very

18
difficult to make changes to the chip later on. Although methods such as Super pipeline and super
scalar and like that, partly improve the quality of processors in that time. However, due to
finishing increase of processor speed, alternative is use of network processors which has more
cost than a fast processor. Use of distributed network processors can lead to new ways of fast
connections. Also discovering new routing network algorithms can lead to processing with high
speed in the future.
4. CONCLUSION
Network processors are special types of central processing of CPU which are used for network
equipment like routers. They are used for the production of different kinds of network equipment
like network switching, and identifying intrusion system. In this study network processors which
are used in cisco network products have been analysed and compared. Network on a chip (NOC)
is a communication subsystem inside an integrated circuit which connects IP cores in a system on
a chip in network processors. Technology of NOC of network theory and the ways of on a chip
communication has noticeable advances in comparison to links based on gateway. These
improved architectures cause an increase in the speed of computations after 2020 (the end of
Moore’s law). Advanced services of cisco are comprehensive series of professional engineering.
In this study, features like supporting network solutions, the highest level of access, quality of
services, security for a special network and returning business and investment through network
with high efficiency in different series of cisco was dealt with.
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